Hydrangea Heaven

July 28, 2008 - Of all the shrubs one could plant, the glorious and many-coloured hydrangea is one of the most popular. Extremely forgiving in both dry and wet climates, this stalwart species can even survive on a windy shoreline or beachfront when all other best bets have turned up their toes in the face of unrelenting salt-filled breezes.

Late summer is when the majority of hydrangeas sport their white to rosy to bluish hues in an amazing array of forms. Vancouver parks have several excellent spots for viewing these hedges of crayola colours, all within easy reach.

Stanley Park - Ceperley Meadow

Near Second Beach in Stanley Park is a long hedgerow of multi-coloured hydrangeas. Find this display near the Ceperley Meadow wooden bridge beside the pitch & putt golf course. In bloom from now until mid-September.

VanDusen Botanical Garden at 37th Avenue and Oak Street

Vancouver's very own outdoor botanical library allows visitors to learn each plant's name as all specimens are labelled. The hydrangea collection is vast here including mop heads and oak leaved while not forgetting the lace caps and numerous others numbering over 67 different forms in VanDusen's Hydrangea Collection. Spend a few hours at the garden or take a virtual visit online by going to the VanDusen Garden website, clicking on "Plant Collection" and then searching for hydrangea.

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